TNAG-2357-FCO40-3428-Official-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 59

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027031 MDHIAN 9772

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

20. BECAUSE OF LOW NUMBERS ARRIVING (ALTHOUGH TWICE THE RATE OF A YEAR AGO), THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF MEDIA AND PUBLIC ATTENTION IN RECENT MONTHS. BUT IT STILL APPEARS IN OPINION SURVEYS AS ONE OF THE PUBLIC'S MAIN CONCERNS. ATTENTION IN RECENT MONTHS HAS BEEN FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE COURTS (WHERE A SERIES OF CHALLENGES TO VARIOUS ASPECTS OF OUR DETENTION AND SCREENING POLICY HAVE BEEN HEAR). HOWEVER, A SERIOUS DISTURBANCE AT THE WHITEHEAD CENTRE EARLIER THIS MONTH REKINDLED ANXIETY ABOUT SECURITY. ARRIVAL LEVELS FOR THE YEAR SO FAR ARE TOO HIGH FOR COMFORT, BUT IT IS TOO EARLY TO MAKE ANY PREDICTION ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE INFLUX LATER IN THE YEAR. A LEVEL OF ARRIVALS ANYTHING LIKE THAT OF 1989 WOULD QUICKLY REKINDLE PUBLIC HOSTILITY TOWARDS THE POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM.

WILSON

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DISTRIBUTION

75

ΜΑΙΝ

73

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

. (RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

ESAU PLANNERS PUSD

HKD

HD/FED

NEWS D

JOINT DIRECTORATE ERD

ADDITIONAL

2

MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS MISS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS

NNNN

RAD

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

MR MCLAREN

MR BURNS

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